Poetry Postcard Fest 2027
Registration IS OPEN
The Poetry Postcard Fest is an annual 56-day experiment in spontaneity and community building. This literarary event is a self-guided workshop in spontaneous composition where people sign up & must send 31 original poems on postcards to folks on a participation list before the end of August. The fest was initiated in 2007 by poets Paul E. Nelson and Lana Ayers, and has grown to include poets participating worldwide. Registration opens annually on September 1.
Poetry as Neuro-Resilience
Explore practices that help keep consciousness attuned to the realities of the world - and discover how poetry can emerge from that depth. In this five-week workshop, Paul E. Nelson guides participants through readings, interviews, journaling, and writing exercise rooted in the Cascadia bioregion. All levels are welcome; openness and a commitment to the practice are all that's required.
Learn more about Poetry as Neuro-Resilience →
Suggested donation: $130–$275
Saturday Cohort
Saturdays 9-11 AM Pacific Time
November 21, 2026 – December 19, 2026
Sunday Cohort
Sundays 3-5 PM Pacific Time
November 22, 2026 – December 20, 2026
How it Works
The fest is a self-guided 56 day workshop in spontaneous composition and community. Click to learn more about How it Works.
Poetry Postcard Fest News
Reflection on Poetry Postcard Trees (& Photos!)
We need to learn from Fujitaro and see the gardens that can grow from our wastelands, from the Pacific trash heap to the City of Seattle dump to the logged former forestland to the filled in estuaries of rivers like the Duwamish that make the Port of Seattle or Marshlands that make Baltimore’s inner harbor to the sprawl of LA and suburbs around all cities in this country to the merciless businesses of insurance and pharmaceuticals and lobbying and media (social, in particular) and AI and bottled water and so on.
Postcarding & DaySinging Workshop Video
A workshop for poets interested in making the most out of the summer Poetry Postcard Fest and the end of fest daysong, day-long writing ritual,
Postcards from Chaos
Writing poetry in a time of crisis, Ukraine, postcards.”War tries to destroy culture because culture sustains identity and memory. Literature is not only a victim of war, it is an instrument of survival, resistance, witnessing – and, sometimes, welcome refuge…”
The Last Poetry Postcard Fest Activation of 2026
Notes on the last Poetry Postcard Activation for 2026 at Pritchard Beach in Seattle.
Last 2026 Poetry Postcard Activation June 6 11a-1pm
The last 2026 Poetry Postcard Activation is set for June 6 from 11a-1pm at Pritchard Beach in Seattle’s Rainier Beach neighborhood with postcard collage making, future-centric poetry prompts, local history and a vision for the venue in the future.
Cascadia 2050 interview with Julie Masters
This year the Poetry Postcard Fest celebrates its 20th anniversary. From the fest many a creative project has spawned, and one recent example of that is Julie Master’s book: No Headlines Here: Postcard Poems.
Postcarding & DaySinging Workshop Video
A workshop for poets interested in making the most out of the summer Poetry Postcard Fest and the end of fest daysong, day-long writing ritual,
Postcards from Chaos
Writing poetry in a time of crisis, Ukraine, postcards.”War tries to destroy culture because culture sustains identity and memory. Literature is not only a victim of war, it is an instrument of survival, resistance, witnessing – and, sometimes, welcome refuge…”
The Last Poetry Postcard Fest Activation of 2026
Notes on the last Poetry Postcard Activation for 2026 at Pritchard Beach in Seattle.
The Poetry Postcard Fest, initiated by poets Paul Nelson and Lana Ayers in 2007, invites participants to create and send 31 original poems on postcards throughout August. The fest emphasizes spontaneity, with poems written in one take directly onto postcards for recipients worldwide. Registration opens annually on September 1, and participants receive a list of fellow poets to exchange cards with. A $15 contribution supports the Cascadia Poetics LAB, and scholarships are available. For more details and resources on postcard poetry, visit How it Works or check out related essays and wrap-ups from past participants.
How the Poetry Postcard Fest Works
Abhaya Thomas Postcard
How the Poetry Postcard Fest Works
The Poetry Postcard Fest, initiated by poets Paul Nelson and Lana Ayers in 2007, invites participants to create and send 31 original poems on postcards throughout August. The fest emphasizes spontaneity, with poems written in one take directly onto postcards for recipients worldwide. Registration opens annually on September 1, and participants receive a list of fellow poets to exchange cards with. A $15 contribution supports the Cascadia Poetics LAB, and scholarships are available. For more details and resources on postcard poetry, visit How it Works or check out related essays and wrap-ups from past participants.
Abhaya Thomas Postcard